Head On Shots for Bears? Thoughts?

[GooseSlammer]

So right off the bat before anyone says "don't do it!" - I have a question about taking head on shots on bears in situations where you simply don't have any other options...

In 2 of the past 3 bear hunting trips that I've been on (spot and stalk only) we have had situations where large black bears were walking towards us head on and got into very close range without ever offering a quartering towards or broadside shot opportunity.

In the case of our hunt a couple of weeks ago, a good sized black bear was coming through the thick trees on a path towards my buddy. We had just taken the other bear that was with him, and there's a good chance he wasn't exactly in a great mood towards us.

He had come back after the shots, and was now coming at a steady pace towards my buddy (after circling back through the trees). He was coming head on towards my buddy and got to about 15 yards before he decided he better take the shot.

We thought he hit him solidly but after looking for an hour that night and another 4 hours the next morning, we unfortunately never found the bear.

We had a similar situation a couple of years ago with a necessary head on shot (before the 6'7" bear almost stepped on my buddy!) and fortunately we got that bear after a bit of a retrieve.

Obviously nobody wants to take this shot if they don't have to - but given those circumstances twice now, where would you best recommend placing the shot on a head on encounter with a bear?

My natural instincts are straight through the center of the chest, but that hasn't worked out too great! Is just under the chin a better option? (I saw that on a Shockey video once on a huge bear).

Looking for constructive input here. Believe me - we aren't hoping to do this unless forced to! Thanks.

[Dean2]

Shoot him between the eyes if you want to put him down immediately. With a large bore like the 45-70 and 444 right below the chin will kill them fine as long as his head is up, but not as quick as between the eyes. You need to practice shooting your rifle at ten to 20 yards, they don't hit where you think they do. They will be up to 2" lower than you are figuring on and when you are trying to do head shots that is a big difference.

Have a look at the anatomy, unless the bear is walking head up even under the chin is too low.

[marky_mark]

Square right in the middle of the chest

One issue with front on shots is that your not really getting both lungs… usually
Square right in the middle of the chest should bust a lot of ribs

High quality controlled expansion bullets are a must if your considering this shot
So bullets like aframes or Barnes
Not a berger or eldx

Bigger diameter bullets with a good dose of fps will make those bullets expand and penetrate real deep

Not a shot for a creedmoor

[Pathfinder76]

I’ve shot bear head on, my hunting partners have shot bear head on and I’ve also seen a bear unrecovered with a steep quartering towards shot. But I believe that in that case the bullet hit the outside of the scapula and deflected enough to miss vitals. With bears, the skull is also part of the trophy so I hate seeing a skull damaged. Their head also covers an enormous amount of the real estate you need to be hitting.

I think it’s low percentage. You definitely need to crowd the chin and there is a good chance if you hit below the head you are risking missing anything vital.

[Pathfinder76]

Here are two of my trail camera photos from this spring. If you need to stop a bear face on you likely have to hit his head.

[Smoky buck]

All I am going to say is I have shot bears head on with a 100% recovery rate and most are very short tracking jobs. I have also witnessed many others do the same

Just like any other species look at the anatomy, pay attention to entrance and exit, and know your angles

People will have a mix of opinions on if it’s a good choice or not

[catnthehat]

I have shot several bears head on, with shotguns and muzzle loaders, but each time it was a very close shot .
Two got both barrels from less than ten feet.

Head shots have their place, but it is not a shot I would normally take in a " general " situation where he is at say, 50 yards.
Cat

[Grizzly Adams1]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

I have shot several bears head on, with shotguns and muzzle loaders, but each time it was a very close shot .
Two got both barrels from less than ten feet.

Head shots have their place, but it is not a shot I would normally take in a " general " situation where he is at say, 50 yards.
Cat

If it's a matter of stopping an attack at close range, do as the cops do, center of visible mass.

Grizz

[Dean2]

So let's be clear, I was answering the OP's very specific question, where do I shoot a bear that is directly head on. Many others answered in the same vein. Shooting a bear head on is not the preferred option but sometimes you don't have an choice. In those situations you need to know exactly where your rifle hits and you need to know bear anatomy well. I reiterate my recommendation that you shoot the bear in the head. Rarely does a bear coming in on you at close range have its head high enough for you to have a good angle at his chest while you are standing, and I would be very disinclined to go down on one knee to get a better angle on the chest, you lose far too much mobility. If you hit the bear too low you will hit nothing of value and you now have an aggressive and wounded bear to deal with.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams1

If it's a matter of stopping an attack at close range, do as the cops do, center of visible mass.

Grizz

I rarely had an oppurtunity for center of mass shots in my situations , most times it was down in the bottoms of a creek bed in thick willows and tag alder and crawling around on my knees .
I did shoot one center of mass when he knocked my cabin door down in the middle of the night .
The vast majority however of mine however when I was not guiding were broadside shots .
Cat

[Twisted Canuck]

I agree with what Dean has said. There is a difference between shooting for a trophy, and shooting so you aren't the trophy. If it's a must shoot situation, right between the blinkers. If you have the time and distance, and you want a trophy, and the head isn't down, tuck that round as tight under the chin as you can.

[IronNoggin]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams1

If it's a matter of stopping an attack at close range, do as the cops do, center of visible mass.

You are actually much better off doing as we trained with National Parks (I worked with the Bear Response Team).
If it is coming head on with the head up, shoot for the nose.
A minor miss up or down equals a stopped encounter.

Cheers,
Nog

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Dean2

If you hit the bear too low you will hit nothing of value and you now have an aggressive and wounded bear to deal with.

I guess I should add for those wondering- it is not in my nature to go after bears in the tightest , most Gawdawful tangles with a short barreled SxS shotgun. It was done in a situation that involved a bear that was wounded by a client .
Cat

[270person]

Originally Posted by Dean2

So let's be clear, I was answering the OP's very specific question, where do I shoot a bear that is directly head on. Many others answered in the same vein. Shooting a bear head on is not the preferred option but sometimes you don't have an choice. In those situations you need to know exactly where your rifle hits and you need to know bear anatomy well. I reiterate my recommendation that you shoot the bear in the head. Rarely does a bear coming in on you at close range have its head high enough for you to have a good angle at his chest while you are standing, and I would be very disinclined to go down on one knee to get a better angle on the chest, you lose far too much mobility. If you hit the bear too low you will hit nothing of value and you now have an aggressive and wounded bear to deal with.

100% in agreement with Dean here. If its kill or be killed a head shot is always the best option providing it presents itself.

In the mid 80's there was a gun shop on McLeod Tr. in Cgy called Toys for Big Boys. Good guys. They had a very large full mount grizz in the showroom that had been shot by one of their patrons while he was elk hunting. The fella had cleared timber and was standing on the bank of a 25yd across river running 2 - 3 feet deep. The second he hit the bank and looked across the river he saw the grizz, it saw him and came at full charge. He put one dead centre in the chest with a 375 H&H as the bear hit the river. Bear made it across the river and expired on the bank directly in front of him.

When the bear was opened up the 300gr bullet had passed completely through the bear front to back taking out heart, lungs, and everything else downstream before widening Yogis anus. Still made it 35 or so yards and across moving water in seconds before giving up the ghost.

Head shot if you want them down now is the best option. Bear can do some serious damage to a human in a few seconds while he's dieing and the odds of getting off more than one shot, if you're lucky to even get one, are pretty long.

[huntinstuff]

Not every situation gives you the shot you want. But ANY angle on an animal presents a kill shot.

Head on with a bear. Right between the eyes. Or if he lifts his head, aim for the bottom teeth.

Side head shot on a bear? Bottom centre of the ear.

Ive killed 49 or 50 black bears, a griz and a buffalo, several whitetails all with head shots. A few black bear were broadside but thats not the topic....

[bezzola]

The last one i shot was running towards me i got down on one knee and hit him between the eyes with 270 150 accubonds he dropped on the spot.

[270person]

Originally Posted by huntinstuff

Not every situation gives you the shot you want. But ANY angle on an animal presents a kill shot.

Head on with a bear. Right between the eyes. Or if he lifts his head, aim for the bottom teeth.

Side head shot on a bear? Bottom centre of the ear.

Ive killed 49 or 50 black bears, a griz and a buffalo, several whitetails all with head shots. A few black bear were broadside but thats not the topic....

Bella in Slave Lake endorses this narrative. .22 is lots of gun.

And according to my brother if a man is carrying a Leatherman he needs fear nothing. I'm waiting to get a call one day that he's been tragically dismantled.

[huntinstuff]

Originally Posted by 270person

Bella in Slave Lake endorses this narrative. .22 is lots of gun.

And according to my brother if a man is carrying a Leatherman he needs fear nothing. I'm waiting to get a call one day that he's been tragically dismantled.

Chick had more guts than me......

If i had a .22 to take on a griz, id probably use the .22 on myself.......

[Twisted Canuck]

Originally Posted by huntinstuff

Chick had more guts than me......

If i had a .22 to take on a griz, id probably use the .22 on myself.......

Oh you would not!! You'd take a two hand grip on the barrel and beat that sucker till the stock was nothing but splinters, then use the barrel and bent action as a grave marker for the poor thing!!

[Pathfinder76]

So is this a kill or be killed situation or are we hunting? That isn’t quite clear here.

[270person]

Originally Posted by Twisted Canuck

Oh you would not!! You'd take a two hand grip on the barrel and beat that sucker till the stock was nothing but splinters, then use the barrel and bent action as a grave marker for the poor thing!!

.22 is lots if you're only shooting your buddy in the kneecap and doing a Usain Bolt. Foolproof.

[270person]

Originally Posted by Pathfinder76

So is this a kill or be killed situation or are we hunting? That isn’t quite clear here.

From the OP.

"Obviously nobody wants to take this shot if they don't have to - but given those circumstances twice now, where would you best recommend placing the shot on a head on encounter with a bear?

My natural instincts are straight through the center of the chest, but that hasn't worked out too great! Is just under the chin a better option? (I saw that on a Shockey video once on a huge bear).

Looking for constructive input here. Believe me - we aren't hoping to do this unless forced to! Thanks"

[Pathfinder76]

My question is, are they feeling threatened or feel that is the only option to harvest their bear?

[marky_mark]

Originally Posted by Pathfinder76

My question is, are they feeling threatened or feel that is the only option to harvest their bear?

Exactly
Totally different scenarios

[Dean2]

I read it as shooting to preserve their safety. Even if it is shooting to harvest, at 30 feet you are running out of viable options. I won't post how many bears I have shot in my lifetime, no one would believe it anyhow. I will say, every last one I shot in the head did not take even a single step afterwards. When that is the critical issue, head shots plain work. Practice firing three shots as fast as you can into a pumpkin size target. Until your can get three shots off in 2 seconds you aren't practised enough. If you can't hit a pumpkin three times offhand at 20 feet in 2 seconds, you probably should not be in bear country. There is a very good reason I use a lever 45-70 bear hunting. Speed and accuracy in close are the top of the list.

[reddeerhunter]

Attacking you-Head
Hunting him-If possible right where the center of the neck meets the body.

[C&C Outdoors]

Head on, I like to shoot them in the upper center of the chest if that shot is presented.
Had a good sized one get up about 40yds away on an overgrown cutline me & my wife were making our way up on & it made its way walking towards us pretty sure unaware of our presence as the wind was right and I just had my bow on me which was fine. At 20 I came to full draw and at about 10-12yds he finally lifted his head up to take a look & offer me a good shot below the chin, worked out great.
For a predatory/attack defense situation I'm putting the bead or cross hairs between the headlights

[Pathfinder76]

Here is the skull of a bear I shot in the face almost 30 years ago. I am still disappointed to this day that I did it. I have made every effort since then not to hit a bear that I’m hunting in the head. And touch wood I have never done it again. Three of the last five or six have been very close though. Two of those went over 18” and one over 19”.

It makes me shutter just thinking about that. :-)

[calgarychef]

My old “anemic” .303 British right between the eyes and up an inch or so certainly could relax a bear, unhurried headshots work great.

[eric2381]

I don’t find bears hard to kill. They can be hard to track and follow a blood trail though sometimes. If shot straight on that could make the blood trail even harder to follow.